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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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September 25, 2010 · Holmes Gary Don Rutan Long-Ez · N22GZ

Yellow Springs, OH

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 25, 2010
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury)
Location
Yellow Springs, OH
Aircraft
Holmes Gary Don Rutan Long-Ez
Tail Number
N22GZ
Operator
Wray Curtis W
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN10LA566

The pilot was performing basic flight maneuvers and experienced a total loss of engine power. The airplane began to descend and the pilot attempted to restart the engine; however, his attempts were unsuccessful. The pilot performed a forced landing in a field. During the landing, the airplane impacted rough terrain, flipped over and came to rest inverted. A postaccident examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed no evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies. The engine ran satisfactorily after the accident. While the FAA's Carburetor Icing Chart revealed “Serious icing (glide power)” for the reported temperature and dew point conditions, the investigation could not conclusively determine that carburetor ice caused the loss of engine power.

NTSB Probable Cause

Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Temp/humidity/pressure-Conducive to carburetor icing-Contributed to outcome

Full Narrative

On September 25, 2010, approximately 1830 eastern daylight time, a Holmes Rutan Long-EZ single-engine airplane, N22GZ, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field following a loss of engine power near Yellow Springs, Ohio. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant and registered owner, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight departed the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport (SGH), Springfield, Ohio, approximately 1810. The pilot reported that he was preparing his airplane for an upcoming trip and decided to fly a short local trip to make sure everything was in order. After departure from the local airport, the pilot executed several turns, slow flight maneuvers, and an approach to landing stall at an altitude of 3,500 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot then wanted a greater altitude safety margin and began a climb to greater than 4,000 feet msl. After passing through 4,000 feet msl, he began to execute a power on accelerated stall, and the engine abruptly quit. During the descent, the pilot attempted to restart the engine; however, the restarts were unsuccessful. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane impacted rough terrain, flipped over and came to rest inverted. Following the accident, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors examined the airplane. Examination of the airplane showed damage to both composite wings and the fuselage. The airplane and engine were recovered for further examination. After the airplane was recovered to the pilot's storage facility, a test run of the engine was attempted by the inspectors and the pilot. The inspector reported, "It took about 40 seconds of running the fuel pump in order to prime the system, but then the engine was able to run. It ran for about a minute then was shut down. It was started again and it fired up immediately." The 1856 weather observation for SGH, located about 1 mile north of the accident site, included the following: sky clear, winds 330 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 5 statute miles, temperature 20 degrees Celsius, dew point 9 degrees Celsius, and altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of mercury. The Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Bulletin number CE-09-35, titled “Carburetor Icing Prevention,” includes a chart indicating conditions conducive to carburetor icing. For the approximate ambient temperature and dew point at the time of the accident, the flight was conducted in “Serious icing (glide power)” conditions.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:30 EDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftHolmes Gary Don Rutan Long-Ez
Tail NumberN22GZ
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorWray Curtis W
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-E3D · Reciprocating · 150
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 54 · Second Class · Minor

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind330° @ 7 kt
Visibility5 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point68 F / 48
Altimeter30.03 inHg
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data